Combination bookend and bookrack and carton therefor



6 R. E. HUTCHINSON 3,297,164

COMBINATION BOOKEND AND BOOKRACK AND CARTON THEREFOR Filed March 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '1 j" :I q I 4: 4o 46 "mum-m FIG. 4 (43 lnvenfor Richqrd E. Hutchinson y Jan. 10, 1967 R. E. HUTCHINSON 3,297,164 I COMBINATION BOOKEND AND BOOKRACK AND CARTON THEREFOR Filed March 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 50 1 IO 50 5| g; 4 45 50 Invenfor \m B Richard E. Hutchinson 44 50 m K43 0 Y United States Patent 3,297,164 COMBINATION BOOKEND AND BOOKIRACK AND CARTON THEREFOR Richard E. Hutchinson, Crystal Lake, 111., assignor to Field Enterprises Educational Corporation, Chicago, III., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 436,630 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-42) This invention relates to a bookholder, and more particularly to a bookholder which is useful as a bookend, as a bookrack and as a podium.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved bookholder which when used in pairs can serve as a bookend to support a row of books therebetween upon a support surface, which when used by itself can support a few books on a support surface as a bookrack, and which in yet another position thereof can be used as a podium to support a book in the open position for easy reading by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an improved bookholder of the type set forth an improved resilient pad construction thereon which serves firmly to hold the bookholder in operative position upon a support surface without marring, scratching or staining the associated support surface.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved bookholder of the type set forth which can be used by itself as a convenient podium for the support of a single book, a recess being provided therein to receive and accommodate the backbone of a book and having other structure to support the covers and the pages of a book in the open position thereof and at a proper angle for easy reading by a user and for easy turning of the pages.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved carton assembly for storing and shipping a pair of the bookholders of the present invention.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the parts of the bookholder whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The inv ention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of two of the bookholders made in accordance with the present invention positioned upon a support surface and holding therebetween a row of books, each of the bookholders also supporting a smaller group of books as a bo'okrack;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the bookholders, the bookholder being shown in position to hold a group of three books on a support surface as a bookrack;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the use of one of the bookholders of FIG. 1 as a podium to support a book in position for easy reading thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the pair of bookholders serving as bookends to support a rowof books therebetween;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the bookholder of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the bookholder of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical section through the bookholder of FIG. 5 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the lines 7-7 thereof, a book being shown in the supported position thereof in dashed lines;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a carton for shipping a pair of the bookholders of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a view on an enlarged scale in section through books 11,

the carton of FIG. 8 substantially along the line 9-9 I 3,297,164 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 thereof and illustrating the packing of two of the bookholders in the carton of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a pair of the bookholders 10 positioned upon a support surface 19 and supporting therebetween a row or set of whereby each of the bookholders 10 serves to hold the set of books 11 in the usual manner of bookends. Each of the bookholders 10 in addition is illustrated as supporting a smaller group of books in the nature of a bookrack, the bookholder 10 to the left supporting a group of books generally designated by the numeral 12 and the bookholder 10 to the right supporting a group of books generally designed by the numeral 13. All of the books including the books in the set 11 between the bookholders 10, the books 12 supported by the bookholder 10 disposed to the left and the books 13 supported by the bookholder 10 disposed to the right resting upon the support surface 19.

The bookholders 10 are of identical construction, and therefore only one of the bookholders will be described in detail, like reference numerals being applied to like parts of other bookholder 10 throughout. Referring to FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 7 wherein are shown the details of construction of the bookholder 10, it will be seen that the bookholder 10 comprises generally a base member 20 and a pair of side members 40. The base member 20 is substantially rectangular in shape and has a pair of longitudinally extending side edges 21 and 22 which are disposed substantially parallel to each other. There also is provided a front edge 23 and a rear edge 24 for the support member 20, the edges 23 and 24 extending substantially parallel to each other and being disposed normal to the side edges 21 and 22. A substantially flat top surface 25 is provided for the base member 20 and a substantially flat bottom surface 26 is also provided, the surfaces 25 and 26 being substantially parallel to each other and disposed normal to the several edges 21, 22, 23 and 24.

Formed in the top surface 25 is a book supporting recess 30, the recess 30 including a rearwardly disposed support 31 and a forwardly inclined rest surface 32, the surfaces 31 and 32 being disposed substantially normal to each other and at acute angles with respect to the bottom surface 26. As may be best seen in FIG. 5, the ends of the support surface 31 and the rest surface 32 are connected by two curved ends 33.

The side members 40 are essentially triangular in shape and each includes an outer side surface 41 and an inner side surface 42, the side surfaces 41 and 4-2 being disposed substantially parallel to each other. Joining the surfaces 41 and 42 is a bottom edge 4-3 and parallel to the bottom edge 43 is a short top edge 44. One of the pairof adjacent ends of the edges 43 and 44 is joined by a front edge 45 disposed substantially normal to the edges 43 and 44 and also normal to the side surfaces 41 and 42. Joining the other pair of adjacent ends of the edges 43 and 44 is an inclined edge 16 which is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the edges 43 and 44 and is disposed substantially normal to the surfaces 41 and 42.

The side members 40 are arranged alongside of the side edges 21 and 22 of the base member 29 so that the front edges 45 thereof are in alignment with and lie in the same plane as the base member bottom surface 26. Suitable fasteners such as the nails 55 (see FIG. 5) interconnect the side members 40 and the base member 20. When so assembled, the inner side surfaces 42 of the side members 46 are disposed substantially normal to the top surface 25 of the base member 20 and the base member edge 24 lies in the same plane as the side member bottom edges 43.

In order to support the bookholder 10 upon an undering support surface such as the surface 19, it is desirable provide suitable resilient pads thereon, and particularly l the bottom edges 43 of the side members 40. To this .d a pair of substantially cylindrical bores 47 are formed the side members 40 and extending thereinto from the mom edge 43. Disposed in each of. the bores 47 is a silient rubber pad 50 which is preferably secured therein by a suitable adhesive and which extends downwardly id beyond the associated bottom edge 43. More parularly, each of the rubber pads 50 is essentially cylinical in shape to fill the associated bore 47 and has a lpport surface 51 thereon disposed outwardly beyond .e associated bottom edge 43, all of the support surfaces 1 preferably being disposed in the same plane. The prosion of the rubber pads 50 positively prevents the book- )lders 10 from sliding along the associate-d support surtce 19 while holding books thereon, yet will prevent the aokholders 10 from marring, scratching or staining the ss-ociated surface 19.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the manner of using a pair f the bookholders It) to support a large number of books 5 combination bookends and bookracks will be further escribed. For this use, the bookholders are arranged 'ith the support surfaces 51 of the rubber pads 50 upon 1e underlying support surface 19. As a result, the side iembers 40 extend upwardly and the side surfaces theref are substantially normal to the support surface 19. he base member will also be disposed vertically with he surfaces and 26 thereof disposed substantially normal to the support surface 19. As illustrated, the surfaces .6 on the pair of bookholders 10 are disposed toward ach other and are in supporting engagement with the end ooks in the set of books 11 resting thereagainst, the ower edges of the books in the set 11 resting upon the .upport surface 19. The rubber pads 50 prevent any novement of the bookholders 10 along the support sur- Eace 19, whereby the set of books 11 is firmly and securey held as illustrated by the bookholders 10, whereby the Jookh-olders 10 serve as bookends. Simultaneously, the Jookholder 10 disposed to the left in FIG. 1 supports between the inner side surfaces 42 of the side members a smaller group of books 12, the lower edges of the books 12 resting upon the support surface 19 and the forward 31' righthand edges of the books 12 being disposed against the surface 25 of the associated bookholder 10. The bookholder 10 disposed to the right in FIG. 1 supports be tween the inner side surfaces 42 of the side member 40 a second smaller group of books 13, the lower edges of the books 13 resting upon the support surface 19 and the forward or lefthand edges of the books 13 being disposed against the surface 25 of the associated bookholder 10. Accordingly, it will be seen that the bookholders 10 serve as combination bookends and bookracks to hold all three of the groups of books 11, 1-2 and 13 in a useful position upon the support surface 19. It is also pointed out that the presence of the smaller groups of books 12 and 13 in association with the bookholders 10 serves to assist in holding the bookholders 10 in the operative position with respect to the long set of books 11.

One of the bookholders 10 can also be utilized by itself t-o'support a smaller group of books such as the group of books 12 diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. It will be noted that the bottom edges 43 of the side members 40 are disposed downwardly, whereby the inner side surfaces 42 of the side members 40 are disposed vertically and normal to the vertically disposed surface 25 on the base member 20. The books 12 are disposed between the inner side surfaces 42 with the forward edges thereof against the surface 25 of the base member 20. The bookholder 10 is perfectly adequate to hold the books 12 as illustrated, the books 12 resting upon an associated support surface (not shown) upon which support surface the rubber pads 50 of the bookholder 10 also rest.

The manner of using one of the bookholders 10 as a podium is illustrated in FIGS. '3 and 7 of the drawings,

wherein it will be seen that the base member 20 is disposed horizontally with the surface 26 thereof disposed upon an underlying support surface, the side members 40 extending upwardly therefrom with the inclined edges 46 extending upwardly and to the right as viewed in FIG. 3, and upwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 7. In placing a book 15 upon the bookholder 10 when used as a podium, the lower end of the backbone 16 of the book 15 is placed in the recess 30 substantially midway between the ends 33 thereof, it being noted from FIG. 7 that the support surface 31 is disposed substantially normal to the inclined edges 46 and that the rest surface 32 is disposed substantially parallel to the inclined edges 46. With the lower end of the backbone 16 resting upon the support surface 31 in the recess 30, the covers 17 of the book 15 naturally rest upon the inclined edges 46 and are supported thereby in an open and rearwardly and upwardly inclined position. With the book so positioned, the pages 18 thereof can be readily opened to any desired point in the book and the pages will remain in the open position for easy reading by a user without the user expending any energy or effort in holding the book in that position. In fact the bookholder .10 holds the book 15 open and at the proper angle for easy reading and for easy turning of the pages 18 thereof.

The bookholders 10 can be used simply to hold a set of books such as the books 14 between the opposed surfaces 26 thereof as illustrated in FIG. 4. Accordingly, it will be seen that the bookholders 10 can be used as bookends as illustrated in FIG. 4, can be used as bookracks as illustrated in FIG. 2, can be used as combination bookends and bookracks as illustrated in FIG. 1 or can be used as podiums as illustrated in FIG. 3.

In a typical construction of a bookholder 10, the base member 20 may have dimensions of the bottom surface 26 of 4%" wide between the sides edges 2122 and a depth of 5%" between the edges 23 and 24; the thickness of the base member 10 is A, the support surface 31 is deep and the width thereof is 3 /2". The side member 40 has a length of 6 along the bottom edge 43 thereof, a height of 5%. along the front edge 45 thereof, and a length of %1" along the top edge 44; the inclined edge 46 has a length of approximately 7 /2; the thickness of the side members 40 is approximately and the depth of the bores 47 is A". The diameter of the rubber pads is /2" and they extend below the associated bottom edge 43 /s. The preferred material of construction for the base member 20 and the side members 40 is wood which can be very attractively finished in any colors or stains desired. The preferred materials for forming the rubber pads 50 is foam rubber.

There is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings a carton for conveniently receiving a pair of the bookholders 10 for storage and shipment, the carton being generally designated by the numeral 60. The carton 60 includes a bottom 61 which is rectangular in shape and has a width equal to the distance between the outer side surfaces 41 of a bookholder 10 and a length slightly greater than the width thereof. Extending upwardly from the bottom 61 are four sides 62 that are joined along the adjacent edges thereof to each other and to the bottom 61. Carried on the upper edges of the sides 62 are side flaps 63 on one opposed pair thereof and top flaps 64 on th other opposed pair thereof. One of the bookholders 10 is positioned in the carton 60 with the rubber pads 50 disposed upon the upper surface of the bottom 61 and with the surface 26 resting against the side 62 disposed to the right as illustrated in FIG. 9. A separator 65 is provided formed of cardboard, as is the carton 60, the separator 65 being rectangular in shape and resting upon and covering the inclined edges 46 of the lower bookholder 10. A second bookholder 10 is placed on top of the separator 65 with the inclined edges 46 disposed thereagainst and with the rubber pads 50 extending upwardly toward the upper edges of the carton sides 62. When the upper bookholder is thus positioned, the surface 26 thereof is disposed against the inner surface of the carton side 62 as disposed to the left in FIG. 9.

The side flaps 63 are then closed and bear against the support surfaces 61 on the rubber pads 50 and the top flaps 64 are then closed and secured in the closed position by an adhesive sealing tape 66 disposed about the carton 60. When closed, the carton 60 firmly yet resiliently holds the pair of bookholders 10 therein. The rubber pads 50 on the lower bookholder 10 bear against the carton bottom 61 and are in resilient-engagement therewith, and the rubber pads 50 on the upper bookholder 10 bear against the side flaps 63 and are in resilient engagement therewith, whereby the rubber pads 50 serve to cushion the bookholders 10 within the carton 60. The separator 65 prevents the surfaces of the two bookholders 10 from contacting one another thereby to prevent scarring thereof.

From the above it will be seen that there has been provided a bookholder 10 which fulfills all of the objects and advantages set forth above. More particularly, a pair of bookholders 10 can be used as ordinary bookends as illustrated in FIG. 4, or a pair of bookholders 10 can be utilized as combination bookends and bookracks as illustrated in FIG. 1. One of the bookholders 10 can be utilized by itself as a bookrack as illustrated in FIG. 2 or in a second position thereof can be utilized as a podium as illustrated in FIG. 3. The bookholder 10 is of simple inexpensive construction yet is admirably suited to its intended purpose and includes resilient pads that prevent the bookholder from sliding upon an associated support surface while preventing marring, scratching or staining of the support surface. There further has been provided an improved carton assembly for packing and shipping a pair of bookholders 10.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bookholder for use as a combination bookend and bookrack comprising a substantially rectangular base member having a pair of side edges and a front edge and a rear edge and top and bottom surfaces, a pair of substantially triangular side members each having a bottom edge and a front edge arranged substantially normal to each other and an inclined edge and inner and outer side surfaces, mean-s securing said side members to the sides of said base member along the side edges thereof with the inner side surfaces of said side members disposed toward each other and with said side member front edges disposed toward and parallel to said base member bottom surface, and resilient pads on said side member bottom edges for supporting said bookholder upon an associated support surface with said base member bottom surface disposed substantially vertically for holding a book resting thereagainst and with said side member inner side surfaces disposed substantially vertically for holding books therebetween.

2. A bookholder for use as a combination bookend and bookrack comprising a substantially rectangular base member having a pair of side edges and a front edge and a rear edge and top and bottom surfaces, a pair of substantially triangular side members each having a bottom edge and a front edge arranged substantially normal to each other and an inclined edge and inner and outer side surfaces, means securing said side members to the side edges of said base member with the inner side surfaces of said side members disposed toward each other and with said side front edges disposed in the same plane as said base member bottom surface, and resilient 6 pads on said side member bottom edges for supporting said bookholder upon an associated support surface with said base member bottom surface disposed substantially vertically for holding a book resting thereagainst and with said side member inner side surfaces disposed substantially vertically for holding books therebetween.

3. A bookholder for use as a combination bookend and bookrack comprising a substantially rectangular base member having a pair of side edges and front edge and a rear edge and top and bottom surfaces, a pair of substantially triangular side members each having a bottom edge and a front edge arranged substantially normal to each other and an inclined edge and inner and outer side surfaces, means securing said side members to the side edges of said base member with the inner side surface of said side members disposed toward each other and with said side front edges disposed in the same plane as said base member bottom surface, each of said side member bottom edges having a pair of bores therein, and resilent pads disposed in said bores on said side member bottom edges for supporting said bookholder upon an associated support surface with said base member bottom surface disposed substantially vertically for holding a book resting thereagainst and with said side member inner side surfaces disposed substantially vertically for holding books therebetween.

4. A bookholder for use as a combination bookend and bookrack comprising a substantially rectangular base member having a pair of side edges and a front edge and a rear edge and top and bottom surfaces, a pair of substantially triangular side members each having a bottom edge and a front edge arranged substantially normal to each other and an inclined edge and inner and outer side surfaces, means securing said side members to the sides of said base member along the side edges thereof with the inner side surfaces of said side members disposed toward each other and with said side member front edges disposed toward and parallel to said base member bottom surface, said base member top surface having a recess therein bounded by a support surface and a rest surface disposed substantially normal to each other, said support surface and said rest surface being disposed at acute angles with respect to said base member bottom surface and being disposed toward the rear edge thereof, said bookholder when supported upon said base member bottom surface having said recess disposed upwardly for holding the lower end of the backbone of a book therein with the covers of the book supported upon said side member inclined edges.

5. A bookholder for use as combination bookend and bookrack comprising a substantially rectangular base member having a pair of side edges and a front edge and a rear edge and top and bottom surfaces, a pair of substantially triangular side members each having a bottom edge and a front edge arranged substantially normal to each other and an inclined edge and inner and outer side surfaces, means securing said side members to the side edges of said base member with the inner side surface of said side members disposed toward each other and with said side front edges disposed in the same plane as said base member bottom surface, said base member top surface having a recess therein bounded by a support surface and a rest surface disposed substantially normal to each other, said support surface and said rest surface being disposed at acute angles with respect to said base member bottom surface and being disposed toward the rear edge thereof, said bookholder when supported upon said base member bottom surface having said recess disposed upwardly for holding the lower end of the backbone of a book therein with the covers of the book supported upon said side member inclined edges, and resilient pads on said side member bottom edges for supporting said bookholder upon as associated support surface with said base member bottom surface disposed substantially vertically for holding a book resting thereagainst and with said side member inner side surfaces disposed substantially vertically for holding books therebetween.

6. An assembly for shipping a pair of bookholders, said assembly comprising a pair of bookholders, a carton therefor, and a separator; each of said bookholders including a substantially rectangular base member having a pair of side edges and a front edge and a rear edge and top and bottom surfaces, a pair of substantially triangular side members each having a bottom edge and a front edge arranged substantially normal to each other and an inclined edge and inner and outer side surfaces, means securing said side members to the sides of said base member along the side edges thereof with the inner side surfaces of said side members disposed toward each other and with said side member front edges disposed toward and parallel to said base member bottom surface, resilient pads on said' side member bottom edges for supporting said bookholder upon an associated support surface with said base member bottom surface disposed substantially vertically for holding a book resting thereagainst and with said side member inner side surfaces disposed substantially vertically for holding books therebetween; said carton including a bottom, four sides extending upwardly from said bottom, and closure flaps on the upper edges of said sides; said resilient pads on one of said bookholders resting upon said carton bottom, said separator being disposed upon said inclined edges of said one bookholder, the other of said bookholders having the inclined edges thereof disposed against said separator on the side thereof opposite said one bookholder, said resilient pads on said other bookholder bear ing against said closure flaps in the closed position thereof, said carton bottom and said carton sides and said carton closure flaps closely surrounding and engaging said bookholders; and a closure member holding said closure flaps in the closed position thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,942,456 1/1934 Stark 2112 2,225,830 12/1940 Harris 28133 2,661,568 12/1953 Stark 248--252 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Acting Primary Examiner.

K. I. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BOOKHOLDER FOR USE AS A COMBINATION BOOKEND AND BOOKRACK COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BASE MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF SIDE EDGES AND A FRONT EDGE AND A REAR EDGE AND TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES, A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR SIDE MEMBERS EACH HAVING A BOTTOM EDGE AND A FRONT EDGE ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO EACH OTHER AND AN INCLINED EDGE AND INNER AND OUTER SIDE SURFACES, MEANS SECURING SAID SIDE MEMBERS TO THE SIDES OF SAID BASE MEMBER ALONG THE SIDE EDGES THEREOF WITH THE INNER SIDE SURFACES OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS DISPOSED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND WITH SAID SIDE MEMBER FRONT EDGES DISPOSED TOWARD AND PARALLEL TO SAID BASE MEMBER BOTTOM SURFACE, AND RESILIENT PADS ON SAID SIDE MEMBER BOTTOM EDGES FOR SUPPORTING SAID BOOKHOLDER UPON AN ASSOCIATED SUPPORT SURFACE WITH SAID BASE MEMBER BOTTOM SURFACE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY FOR HOLDING A BOOK RESTING THEREAGAINST AND WITH SAID SIDE MEMBER INNER SIDE SURFACES DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY FOR HOLDING BOOKS THEREBETWEEN. 